Wisconsin

Douglas County Employee Killed in “Work Related Accident” Identified

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Officials with Douglas County have identified the county employee that was killed in a “work-related accident” on Sunday while working in the Government Center. County officials said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon that Douglas County Building and Maintenance Worker, Robert Brown, 47, died Sunday morning “as a result of injuries he suffered while performing duties related…

Wisconsin Judge Suspended for Crude Remarks, Brandishing Gun

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a Winnebago County judge for making crude remarks to defendants and attorneys, and for menacing a defendant with a gun during a hearing. The court said Tuesday that it has suspended Scott Woldt for seven days in August. The Wisconsin Judicial Commission filed a complaint alleging that Woldt committed multiple…

Update: Cause of Death Determined in Fatal Ashland Fire

ASHLAND, Wis. – Authorities in Ashland provided an update Tuesday in the fatal Ashland house fire that killed three people. According to the Ashland Police Department, the preliminary autopsy results confirmed that Jordan Chowning age 36, Alyssa Chowning age 14, and Michelle Hathaway age 17 died of smoke inhalation. Authorities also say preliminary findings show that the fire was believed…

Police Respond to Apparent Shooting at Wisconsin Gas Station

UPDATE: FRANKSVILLE, Wis. (AP) – Authorities in Wisconsin say a man shot and killed another man at a gas station before fleeing and eventually dying in a shootout with an undercover investigator. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling says the events unfolded starting about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Pilot Travel Center in the village of Caledonia. Schmaling says a 32-year-old…

Douglas Co. Maintenance Employee Killed While Working In Government Center

SUPERIOR, Wis. — There were heavy hearts in Superior Monday after learning a Douglas County employee was killed while working in the Government Center over the weekend. The employee worked with the “Buildings and Grounds” crew. The work-related accident happened sometime Sunday in the Government Center building on the corner of Hammond Avenue and 14th Street. The name of the…

Wisconsin DNR Cancels Third Straight Sharp-Tailed Grouse Season

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Department of Natural Resources has canceled Wisconsin’s sharp-tailed grouse season for the third year in a row to protect the population. The DNR announced the decision Monday, saying a population survey this spring coupled with historical data trends and scientific modeling indicate hunting could cause a “marked decrease” in the population. Sharp-tailed grouse populations…

Douglas County Employee Killed in “Work-Related Accident”

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Douglas County officials say a county Buildings & Grounds employee was killed Sunday in a “work-related accident.” The accident happened Sunday morning at the County’s Government Center, according to the Douglas County Administrator Ann Doucette. The incident is currently under investigation by Douglas County and the State. County officials have not yet identified the employee or provided…

67th Annual Spooner Rodeo Continues

Tickets for the 2022 rodeo will be available in October. 

SPOONER, Wisc. —  The main event kicked off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. The fast paced event brings in participants from all over the country. Coordinators have met weekly to prepare for the big event with planning ramping up during the spring season. During the event, judges score both riders and the animals. “We are probably the only sporting event…

Spooner Businesses See Boost With Return of Rodeo Festivities

The parade kicked off the rodeos festivities, bringing people from all over back into the heart of town.

SPOONER, Wisc. — It is arguably one of the largest and longest traditions Spooner has to offer. “This is probably one of the biggest weekends of the year. From a seasonal community and county we really look forward to these events to help support us year round,” Washburn County Tourism Board Vice President, Sue Churchill says. After the cancellation of…

Duluth Police Arrest Suspect in Superior Drive-By Shooting

The arrest happened in Duluth during traffic stop at 2 p.m. Superior Police say that same car fled a traffic stop with their officers and detectives earlier in the afternoon.

DULUTH, Minn.- A suspect in a June drive-by shooting incident in Superior was arrested by Duluth Police Officers Friday. The arrest happened in Duluth during traffic stop at 2 p.m. Superior Police say that same car fled a traffic stop with their officers and detectives earlier in the afternoon. Officers stopped the car to serve a search warrant related to…

Report: Great Lakes Region Needs About $2B for Flood Repairs

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) – Cities and towns along Great Lakes shorelines will pay a heavy price for recent flooding. That’s according to an organization representing the region’s local governments. It says a survey of cities, villages, and other jurisdictions found that fixing infrastructure damaged by high water and erosion will cost nearly $2 billion over the next five years….

Superior Police Searching for Drive-By Shooting Suspect

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior police say they are looking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect possibly involved in a drive-by shooting from a month ago. According to the Superior Police Department, officers responded to reports of a gunshot in the area of Belknap Street and Ogden Avenue around 10:39 p.m. Thursday, June 17. Investigators learned that a suspect…

Evers Signs Gop-Written State Budget With $2B Tax Cut

WHITEFISH BAY, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Tony Evers has signed the Republican-written state budget, enacting a spending plan that includes a $2 billion income tax cut. Evers, a Democrat who is running for reelection next year, signed the budget Thursday. However, he kept the income tax cut intact. Evers opted to go along with the GOP-written budget with some changes…

Superior Fire Department Trains on Old Manning Motel

SUPERIOR, Wisc.– The Superior Fire Department had its turn to practice on the old Manning Motel today after the Superior and Douglas County SWAT teams used it yesterday. The crews began the first of three days training, as new and former firefighters practiced rescue scenarios. Firefighters were eager to have a flat roof to train on, which they don’t encounter…

Animals at Wisconsin Zoos to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Some animals at the zoos in Madison and Milwaukee will receive an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. Animals susceptible to respiratory disease are expected to be inoculated with the vaccine authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture by late July. No COVID-19 infections have been found in animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo or the Henry Vilas Zoo…

Superior Police, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Use Old Motel For SWAT Training

The Superior Fire Department will conduct fire training at the Manning Wednesday.

SUPERIOR, Wis.-The old Manning Motel in Superior’s Billings Park neighborhood turned into an explosive training ground for Superior and Douglas County SWAT teams. A loud boom shook the property, as Superior PD and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tactical teams practiced an explosive breach of one of the doors at the motel.  The site was purchased by Kari Toyota to be…

Canada’s Border Closure Partly To Blame For Dragon Boat Festival’s Cancellation

SUPERIOR, Wis. – It’s a no-go for this year’s Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, and we’ve learned timing and the closure at the Canadian border are partly to blame. The popular festival on Barker’s Island in Superior was set for the end of August, but committee members felt there wasn’t enough time to get boat teams of 20 together to…

Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival Cancelled

SUPERIOR, Wis. –  The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival has been canceled for 2021. The festival’s Executive Committee made the decision to cancel the event this year because there was not enough time to successfully organize the event. “Each dragon boat team is made up of 20 people,” explains Charlie Johnson, President of Superior Rotary Club 40. “We typically begin…

UW Schools Keep Start Date on Jewish Holiday

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Six University of Wisconsin System schools are moving ahead with start dates on the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah despite calls for change. UW-Madison, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Stout, and UW-Superior all have scheduled classes to begin Sept. 7 or Sept. 8, the Tuesday and Wednesday after Labor Day. Rosh Hashanah, which marks the start of the…

Teddy Roosevelt, Gen. Patton Reenactors Return To Bong Museum

Since the event started in 2018 the historical re-enactors say they developed a friendship with the families who come to see them every year.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- History buffs got their own taste of Fourth of July fun meeting some American legends at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior. The museum hosted their “The General and the President” event featuring General George S. Patton and 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt. Since the event started in 2018 the historical re-enactors…

Superior’s 4th of July Parade Returns with Thousands Painting Belknap Street Red, White, and Blue

Upward of a hundred floats and performers and thousands of spectators lined Belknap Street -- some unbothered by the heat.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- A little hot weather wasn’t enough to stop the community from coming alive on Belknap Street as the Fourth of July Parade returned to Superior. “It’s a hot day but thankfully the wind sprung up kept folks comfortable,” Mayor Jim Paine said, “I think everybody needed a party, everybody wanted to come back together.” Upward of a hundred…

Dennis Van Alstine Car Show Revs Engines Through Tower Avenue in Superior Again

The car show is a memorial for Dennis Van Alstine who held car shows on Tower for 19 years before he passed away.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Another Superior 4th of July tradition revved its engines down Tower Avenue once again. The Fifth Annual Dennis Van Alstine Memorial Car and Motorcycle Show lined the street with hundreds of classic cars, modified hot rods, and more. The car show is a memorial for Dennis Van Alstine who held car shows on Tower for 19 years before…

Motion Seeks Evidence of Past Violence at Rittenhouse Trial

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, Pool) KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) – Prosecutors in Wisconsin want a judge to allow evidence at Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial that shows he had a previous violent encounter in Kenosha before he fatally shot two men and injured another during a police brutality protest last year. The state’s motion filed in Kenosha County Circuit Court also seeks to…

Judge Orders Release of Wisconsin Woman in Slender Man Case

(left: Anissa Weier, right: Morgan Geyser) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Wisconsin judge says a woman convicted of stabbing her classmate to please the Slender Man character in 2014 can be released from a mental health facility. Nineteen-year-old Anissa Weier asked Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren to release her from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, arguing she was no longer…

Twin Ports 4th of July Events Back with a Bang This Year

Both Duluth and Superior are anticipating big crowds this year, and both cities claim to have the best fireworks show in the upper Midwest.

DULUTH, SUPERIOR- After a busy and event-filled Airshow weekend, anticipation is building in the Twin Ports for the return of Fourth of July festivities for a post-pandemic summer. “We’re excited about the sights, the sounds, the smells, the sights, the fireworks going off in the background,” said Jeff Stark, Director of Bayfront Festival Park. The Twin Ports is ready to…

Wisconsin Birth Certificates to Have Gender-Neutral Options

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers says that the state’s birth forms should include gender-neutral options for identifying the parents of a child. Evers and the state Department of Health Services announced Monday that starting July 1, forms that are used to generate birth certificates will include “parent-parent” and “parent giving birth” options in addition to the current…

Four People Rescued From Water at Voyageurs National Park

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. – The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says four people were rescued from the water Sunday night after their boat capsized on Namakan Lake in Voyageurs National Park. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Voyageur National Park Service, MN DNR, St. Louis County Rescue Squad, International Falls Ambulance, and Kabetogama Fire/First Responders responded to the lake just…

Hayward Fly Fishing Company Offers Advice for Musky Fishing

HAYWARD, Wisc.– For those planning to take part in the fishing contest in Hayward this weekend, one shop has its doors open to answer any potential questions. The Hayward Fly Fishing Company is now operating under new ownership, and after being a fly fishing guide for 8 years prior, Stuart Neville offered a little advice on how to catch a…

Wisconsin Assembly Approves Penalty for Defunding Police

(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Assembly has passed a Republican-backed bill that would penalize local governments that attempt to defund police. The bill passed Tuesday, which the Senate passed earlier this month, is expected to be vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers. The proposal would mandate that any municipality that decreases the number of police, firefighters,…

Wisconsin Health Officials Launch COVID Plan for Schools

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin officials have launched a new program to test school children for COVID-19 this fall, the state Department of Health Services announced Tuesday. DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said participation will be voluntary. The DHS will work to connect schools that opt-in with labs that the agency uses to confirm COVID-19 tests. The labs…

Wisconsin Republicans to Send Election Bills to Governor

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Assembly plans to send bills to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers that would limit opportunities for absentee voting, make it more difficult for the elderly and disabled to cast absentee ballots, and prohibit officials from filling in missing information on the envelopes of returned absentee ballots. Evers is expected to veto all of the Republican-backed…

Wisconsin School Leaders Plan to Protest Republican K-12 Funding Plan

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – School leaders in Milwaukee and Madison are planning to protest Republican legislators’ plan to fund K-12 education in the next state budget. The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee decided to give schools $128 million more over the next biennium. The state needed to spend almost $400 million more than that to secure $2.6 billion in federal coronavirus…

Authorities in Bayfield Identify Fatal Motorcycle Crash Victim

BAYFIELD, Wis. – Authorities in Bayfield have identified the victim of Thursday’s fatal motorcycle crash. According to the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office, 50-year-old Keith Damon of Ashland was the driver of the motorcycle involved in the collision on Highway 2 in the Township of Eileen. First responders were called to the area just after 1:00 p.m. last week where they…

Bayfield Authorities Looking For Driver Of SUV Possibly Involved In Fatal Motorcycle Accident

BAYFIELD CO., Wis. — The Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office needs help finding the driver of an SUV that may have been involved in a fatal motorcycle accident. The collision happened just after 1 p.m. on Thursday on Highway 2 in the Township of Eileen, over in Bayfield County. When first responders arrived, they found the man who had been on…

Wisconsin Unemployment Unchanged at 3.9%

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s unemployment rate was unchanged for May at 3.9%, the state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday. The nationwide unemployment rate in May was 5.8%. A year ago, in May 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic was worsening, Wisconsin’s unemployment rate was 10.4%. Wisconsin added 3,400 private-sector jobs in May, bringing its total to 201,100 more than…